Feeding apparatus having rotatable cylinder with vanes arranged for free engagement connection with auxiliary drum



Dec. 13, 1949 HOLLY 2,491,179

FEEDING APPARATUS HAVING ROTATABLE CYLINDER WITH vANEs ARRANGED FOR FREE ENGAGEMENT CONNECTION WITH AUXILIARY DRUMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 9, 1943 l za Dec. 13, 1949 H. H. HOLLY 2,491,179

FEEDING APPARATUS HAVING ROTATABLE CYLINDER WITH VANES ARRANGED FOR FREE ENGAGEMENT CONNECTION WITH AUXILIARY DRUMS Filed July 9, 194: 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 13, 1949 9 7 1 l 9 4 2 H T I W. R E DT NN E LM Y C H. H. HOLLY APPARATUS HAVING ROTATABLE VANES ARRANGED FOR FREE ENGAGE FEEDING CONNECTION WITH AUXILIARY DRUMS Filed July 9, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 .jizue "1%)".- Har'nybllibliy,

CLitu, w, M e

fw'wy Patented Dec. 13., 1949 FEEDING APPARATUS HAVING ROTATABLE CYLINDER WITH VANES ARRANGED FOR FREEv ENGAGEMENT AUXILIARY DRUM Holly, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by mesne Harry H.

CONNECTION WITH assignments, to Holly Molding Devices, Inc.,

Chicago, Ill., a corpora tion of Illinois Application July 9, 1943, Serial No. 493,997

. '7 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved feed and measuring means for plasticmateriaLand the device is particularly adapted for use in making meat patties such as are commonly used in the preparation of the food commodity ordinarily known as a hamburger." One of the important objects of this invention is to provide an apparatus into which a quantity of ground meat or other plastic materialmay be placed and which, upon operation of the apparatus, will be fed into a measuring means, which means will accurately portion and shape the meat or other plastic material after which the measured and shaped portion is ejected from the machine and can beremoved for a repetition of the operation. 1

The device can be either hand operated or can be readily adapted for mechanical operation and, with little or no change, can beapplied to an automatic portioning and molding mechanism such as is shown and described in mypending application for patent on such a device, which was filed March 22,- l941-,-Serial No. 384,656, which has issued as Patent No. 2,338,939 dated, January 11', 1944. g

In that particular application a combination hopper and feed mechanism is shown and described, and the present application relates to an improvement of such combined hopper, portioning and feedmechanism.

One of the-principal objects of this invention is to provide a feeding and portioning apparatus especially for ground meat used in hamburger patties, which will positively feed the ground meat into the measuring and portioning element under almost unvarying conditions of pressure, and regardless of the-consistency ofthe meat. It has been found that ground meat having a large proportion of fat therein behaves differently than ground lean meat, and very cold or frozen meat behaves; differently than warm ground meat. The particular-machine of this invention is adapted to handle ground meat under all these varying conditions of consistency, temperature, moisture content and the like, without any undue extra attention on the part of the operator.

Another and still further importantobject of the invention is to provide a meat portioning and feeding means into which a quantity of meat may be placed and which, upon subsequent op eration of the machine, will be automatically fed through the machine subdivided into accurately measured portions, and thisoperation will take place until all the meat is used, there being practically no residual material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a completely sanitary apparatus in which the meat is or can behandled without contact. with human hands. and. which; furthermore, can be easily kept clean. the same having a minimum number of parts and being adapted for ready disassemblin for cleaning purposes.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanyingdrawings and following specification.

The invention, ina preferred form, is hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of the improved feed and measuring means for plastic material of this invention, the same illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the structure illustrated in Figure l, with one side or cover portion being removed'toshow the interior construction, and withv certain operational steps illustrated in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is an end view of the device, parts being broken away-and other parts being shown insection.

Figure 4 is a top plan View of the apparatus, illustrating the construction and operation of the feed means and showin the opening in the measuring slide plate in dotted lines.

Figure 5 is a detail-view of the auxiliary feed roll with its feeding fingers and showing the same associated with the meat stripping comb which co-operates therewith.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the machine with a slightly modified form of operational levers thereon.

Figure '7 is a side elevation of the apparatus of Figure 6, illustrating the operation in dotted lines.

Figure 8 is a side elevation showing a further modified form of the invention.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 99 of Figure 8, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 10 is a detailed view of the feeding cylinder and vanes of Figure 8.

Figure 11 illustrates a slight modification of the feeding cylinder and vanes.

Figure 12 shows a further modified form of the feeding cylinder.-

As shown in the drawings:

- The reference numeral l4 indicates generally the supporting .base of the improved feed and measuring means of this invention, and as heretofore explained, this may be either a simple support adapted to be applied in position on a table, work bench or the like, or instead of such a supporting base, the entire apparatus may be mounted upon the mechanism shown in my prior United States Patent No. 2 ,338,939,'dated January 11, 1944. In suchcase, themanual operating 5, means. herein disclosed canbe supplanted by the mechanical operating means of my, aforesaidpatent.

Mounted upon the base M or upon the machine of my aforesaid patent is a support l6, in which support is reciprocatively positioneda slide plate 18. This slide plate has an opening-therein, as"

22, which is preferably of the shape shown in Figures 1, 2, 6 and 7, and one side plate 22a of this hopper can be made removable'for'ready disassembling of the entire apparatus. Bolts 24 fitted into openings in extending flanges 26 hold the side plate 2-2a'in position.

A shaft 28 is mounted in'the hopper, passing from one side to the'other thereof, the ends of this shaft being supported in suitable bearings 30- and .32.- Rotatably' mounted on the'sha'ft is a cylinder or feed drum-3'4; which has a series of radial slots 36 cut thereintoand extending from the periphery toa little: more than halfway to the center in each case.

In each of these slots is slidably" fitted a vane 38 of the same depth" as the slot. Two platelike' earns 40 are fitted into corresponding re-- cesses in the ends of the cylinder or drum 34. Each of these cams is shaped as shown by the dotted' lines in' Figure 2 and is adapted to be fastened to the side plate of the" hopper. Each camacts upon inner endsof each of the vanes so that as the drum rotates, each vane will, as it is brought upwardly by the drum, be forced outwardly as shown; The drum rotates in a clockwise direction; as viewed Figure 2, and the projecting vanes 38 will pushany meat in contact with the upper face of the drum toward theright and down into the space between the face of the drum and the corresponding face 42" of the hopper.

It will be noted that the; curved face 42 of the hopper is concentric with the face of the drum until the bottom of the hopper is reached, which bottom is parallel to the upper face of the measuring or slide plate l8. When the edge of the vane reaches the bottom of the hopper, the

vane is caused to move inwardly by contact of the outer edge of the vane with the bottom of the hopper. The vane mo'ves inwardly against the cut away portion of the cam 40, and this inward motion of the vane squeezes the meat between this vane and the adjacent one into the opening 20 in the slide plate 18 The outer edges of the vanes are then practically flush with the periphery of the cylinder or drum 34 and this condition remains until each vane has traveled through an upward movement' of around 90 deg'rees from the bottom, whereuponf the c'am 40 again forces the vanes outwardly for a further feeding operation. v 1

Mounted on the shaft 44 which extends across the hopper at a Ddint' about the level of the told of the drum- 34 is anauxiliary feeding cylinder 46, having" a series of aligned radial prongs 48 fitted thereinto, as best shown in Figures 2 and 5. Adjacent the bottom of this cylinder 46 is a comb-like element 50 having slots in its upper edge, through which slots the pins or prongs 48 of the feed roll 46 are adapted to pass as the roll is rotated. Rotation of this roll is accomplished by means or. the faces of the vanes 38 contacting-ithe endseoftheepnongsen as the drum 34 with itsvanestll is' rotatedi The action of this cylinder 46 with its prongs is to force meat or other plastic material which might otherwise rest against'the back of the hopper 22 into position above the main feed drum 34 and in front of the descending vanes 38. As will be evident, the hopper is offset to receive the auxiliary feed drum 46.

As shown in Figure 2, any air which is trapped with meat and which would otherwise be forced into the opening in the slide plate 18 when the meat or other material is fed thereinto, is allowed to escape by means of an air release tube 52.

, This is mounted just ahead of the rearmost position of the 'op'ening 2D in' the slide plate I 8; so that air'trappedin the opening 20 will be allowed to escape and more'meat allowed to flow in before the opening 20 in the slide plate l8 gets beyond the feeding action of the drum 34 and vanes 38.

The air release-tube 5Z'is formed with a restricted orifice 54 so that while the air'is allowed to escape, only'a smallamount of meat or'other plastic material can possibly passtherethrough, and the tube 52 opens into the bottom of the hopper adjacent the periphery of the drum 34 and at a point where the upward movement of the vanes is begun. Any meat which does get through the restricted orifice 54 would accordingly be merely carried back into the hopper:

In Figure 8, a slightly modified form of the invention is shown, wherein a feed drum or cylinder 5G is provided, havingsii: vanes 58 as distinguished from the ten vanes38of' the drum 34. These vanes 58 are positioned in slotsin the drums 56-, which however are not radial slots. A cam 60, similar to the cam 40, is employed for moving the vanes 58 in and out of the drum 56 as it is rotated. The slide plate 48 is the same as that previously described, and its mounting with relation to the hopper 62 is also similar.

In all these" constructions the cylinders 34 and 56 are rotated by means of a ratchet gear 64, which is; fitted intoa recess in one faceof the cylinder, and ratchet gear is fixed on the central shaft 28. A- spring-pressed pawl 65 co-operates with theratchet gear, and as the shaft 28 and the ratchet gear 64 are rotated, the pawl 65 being mounted on the cylinder 34 or 56, will rotate the cylinder.

In the modification shown in Figure 11, the vanes 68' are spring-pressed outwardly from the periphery of the druir'i or cylinder 10, this construction eliminating the necessity of a cam such as those shown at and In the modification shown in Figure 12, the vanes 12 are pivotally mounted in recesses in the periphery of the drum or cylinder 74, and are spring pressed into material feeding position. In this instance the drum is rotated in a counterclockwise direction,- as indicated by the arrow in Figure 12.

The means for rotating the feed cylinders may be mechanical, such as the mechan cal means illustrated in my prior patent No. 2,338,939, or some suitable manually operated means may be employed.

For example, in the device shown in Figures 6 and '7, a handle 15 is pivoted at 18 to the base hi, this handle being in the form of a bell crank lever, having'a short arm 80. To the outer end of this short arm so is pivotally connected a link 82' having a slot 84 in its free end and into this wise direction.

: slot is fitted'a pin 86 fixed on the endof a lever 88 mounted on the shaft 28. A tension spring 90 connects the end of the lever 88 with the end -of the bell crank arm 80. A link 92 also con nects the middle portion of the handle it to the s end of the slide plate l8.

As the handle 16 is moved to the left, as shown in Fig. '7 the link 82 will move the lever with its connected sha'ft 28 in a counterclockwise direction, as shown by the dotted lines, and on a return motion of the handle 16, the slot 84 will 1 permit the lever 88 to remain in its rearmost position, except for the fact that the sprin 90- is on the spring 9D.

in this manner ifthere"- should :be a large amount of meat or other material trapped between two adjacent vanes 38,. thecylinder 34 underthetensionof'thes-pring ill] will move only a distance-sufficient to force a desired measured i amount of meat into the opening 20 in the slide plate l8. "The remainder, trapped between two adjacent vanes will beheld under pressure until such time as theslide plate l8 has been moved forwardly and the measured segregated portion of meat removed therefrom by manual or mechanical means; When the opening 28 is again moved rearwardly into position beneath the opening in the bottom of the hopper, the'spring tension on the rachet gear,:pawl, cylinder and vanes will again -fil1- the opening 2E1. If "a suificient amount of material is not trapped between two adjacent vanes, the spring will-obviously move the drum through more of a revolution,

thereby assuring a complete filling-of the opening in the slide plate at each reciprocation of the handle 16. A somewhat similar structure is illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, wherein is discloseda handle 94 pivoted at 93 on the base l4 and hav"- ing a link 98 connected to the slide plate IS. A bell crank lllllis mounted on the shaft 28, one end of this bell crank'being connected to a tension spring 102 fastened to the base I4.

The other arm of this bellcrank has a projecting pin ms, which is adapted tobe contacted by a ratchet B fixed on the handle 94 and moved into successive positions, s shown by the dotted lines. in. Figure 2; 'The" corresponding action through the ratchet gear. 64, pawl 65 and cylinder 34 is the same as that resulting from tlie'mechanism illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.

A further 'manual means of operating the device is shown in Figures 8 and 9, wherein a handle H38 is provided, this handle "being pivoted on the shaft 28 and havin 'its lowerend connected by means ofv a link. I llLto the slide plate 18.

A bell crank lever ll2'is'fixe'd on the shaft .23 and has one arm connected to a tension spring H4 connected to. thebase M." The other arm of the bell crankilever. l l2 hasa't'its end aprojecting pin 7| l6 Whicheisadapted to be contacted by the, handle .108. toprovidea reciprocating movement of the shaft 28 and attached pawl 64, and the consequent spring tension on the cylinder 56 tending to always rotate it in a clock- Quite obviously, the mechanism of my-aforesaid prior patent may be used to operate the feed means of the various hoppers described in this application, and a mechanical means for re- =movin'g the measured" portion of meat from the slide plate may be employed; as for example, the

knock-out ring 64 shown and described in said prior application for patent.

I am aware that may changes may be made and numerous details .of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore donot purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

.1 'I claim as my invention:

1,,Afeedingi apparatus for plastic material,

comprising: a :hopperhaving an opening in the bo.ttom;thereof. a cylinder rotatably positioned in the hopperv adjacent said opening; a plurality of yanes each slidably mounted in a slot in the ,cylinder and normally projecting from the pe inner wall ,ofthe'hopper'to force material into said opening, said portion-of the inner wall being adjacent; to andlabove the hopper opening; an auxiliary feed dr'u'm ialsorotatably mounted in the hopper and positioned adjacent to the first cylinder and immediately above the area of contact of said vanes with said inner wall when the vanes/are forcing material but of said opening;

a plurality of spacedprongs projecting from said drum; a stripper "member associated with said prongs for stripping material therefrom; and means for rotating: the cylinder and drum so that the extended vanes on" said cylinder move toward said opening. f

2."A" feeding apparatus for plastic material, comprisingrta hopper having" an opening in the bottom thereofyafcylin'der rotatably positioned i'n'th'e hopper'adjacent said opening; a plurality of vanes each slidably mounted in a slot in the cylinder 'and' normally projecting from the peripheral face thereof; cam'means in the hopper and associated with the'cylinder for moving the vanes into and out of said'slotsg'the outer edges of the extended'vanes' contacting a portion of the inner wall'ofthe hopper to force material into said opening, said portion of the inner wall being adjacent to and above the hopper opening; an auxiliary feed drum'also'rotatably mounted in the hopper and "positioned adjacent to the first cylinder a'ndiminediately above the area of contact of said 'vanes'with said inner wall when the vanes are forcing material out of said opening; a plurality of :spaced prongs projecting from said drum? a stripper member associated with said prongs for stripping" material therefrom; and meansfordntermittently and substantially simultaneously rotating'the cylinder and drum so that the extendedvan'es on said cylinder move toward said opening." H 1 3. A "feedingapparatus for plastic material, comprising: a hopper having an opening in the bottom thereof f 'a cylinder rotatably positioned in the 'hoppe'r iadjacent said opening; a plurality of vanes each'slidably mounted in a slot in the cylinder and normally projecting from the face thereof carn'rh eans' in -the hopper and associated with thcylinde'r for'inovingthe vanes into and out of said slots; the outer edges of the vanes contacting thenin'er wall of the hopper adjacent and above thehopper opening for a portion of their travel't'o force materialinto said opening; an auxiliary 'feed' drum also rotatably mounted in the hopper and positioned adjacent the first cylinder and immediately above the area of con- ,ta-ct ;of said vanesiwithsaidainnersvall vwhen the wanes -are forcing ,material out. ofsaid opening; a ,plurality of spaced prongs projecting from .said drum, said prongs being ,contactedby said vanes for rotation of said drum; .-a strippermember'asbly mounted :in a slot .:in :the .cylinder and norreally projecting :from the peripheral .face there- .of; cam meansin the ",hopper and associated with {the cylinder ,for ,moving .the vanes 'into and out Al said slots. the .outer edges .of the extended vanes contacting the innerwallofthe hopper to -force material :into said opening, said portion of the inner wall beinga adjacent :to and above the hopper opening; .an auxiliary {feed drum also rotatablymountedqin the hoppercand positioned ad- ;jacenttothefirst cylinder and immediately above the area of contact of .said vanesv with said inner .wall when .the yanesare forcing material out of sai n in a plurality .:of p d pr n pr Jecting from said drum; a stripper member associated with said .prongs .for stripping material therefrom; a ratchet mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith; :an associated pawl on the cylinder mounted ffor rotation therewith; and means for rotating :the shaft through a partial revolution and back again, said back rotation causing engagementof lthe ratchetwith the pawl .to rotate the cylinder so lthatzthe extended vanes on said cylinder move toward said opening.

5. A feeding apparatus for .plastic material, comprising: a hopper having an opening in the bottom thereof; arotatablesha-f-t arranged transyersely of ,the hopper;- a cylinder rotatably positioned in the hopper and rotatably mounted upon said shaft; ,a plurality of =vanes .each slidably mounted in a slot in the cylinder and normally projecting from the peripheral face thereof; cam means in the hopper and associated with the cylinder for moving the vanes into and out of said slots, the outer edges of the extended vanes contacting the inner Wall ,of the hopper to force material into said opening, said portion of the inner wall being adjacent to and above the hopper opening; an auxiliary :ieed drum also rotatably mounted in the hopper .and positioned adjacent to the first cylinder and immediately above the area ,of contact of said -vanes with said inner wall when the vanes are forcing material out of said opening; a plurality of spaced prongs projecting from said drum; a stripper member associated with said prongs for-stripping material therefrom: a ratchet mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith; an associated pawl .on the cylinder mounted for rotation therewith; means for rotating the shaft through a partial revolution and back again, said back rotation causing engagement of the ratchet with the pawl, to rotate, the cylinder .50 that the extended vanes on said cylinder move toward said opening, and spring means operatively connected to said rotating means for causing back rotation of the shaft.

6. A feeding apparatus for plastic material, comp i i a h er ha in n o ning i h adjacent to and above said opening and having 'a center of curvature substantially coinciding with the axis of rotation of said cylinder; and means for intermittently rotating said cylinder .for moving said vane against said wall portion and toward said opening for forcing said plastic material out of said opening.

7. A feeding apparatus for plastic material, comprising: a hopper having an opening in the bottom thereof; a cylinder rotatably mounted in the hopper above said hopper opening and arranged transversely of said hopper; at least one vane mounted onsaid cylinder; means for moving the vane so that the outer end thereof is in sliding engagement with a portion of the inner wall of the hopper, said inner wall portion being located adjacent to and above said opening and having a center of curvature substantially coinciding with the axis of rotation of said cylinder; means for intermittently rotating said cylinder for moving said vane against said wall portion and toward said opening for forcing said plastic material out of said opening; an auxiliary feed .drum also rotatably mounted in the hopper and positioned adjacent to said cylinder and immediately above the area of contact of said vane with said inner wall portion, said drum having an axis of rotation substantially parallel to the ,axis of rotation of said cylinder; a plurality of spaced prongs projecting from said drum, said prongs being contacted by said vane for rotation ,of said drum; and a stripper member associated with said prongs for stripping plastic material therefrom.

HARRY H. HOLLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 285,413 Johnson Sept. 25, 1883 354,944 Spangler Dec. 28, 1886 456,933 Barron Aug. 4, 1891 632,179 Floyd Aug. 29, 1899 709,793 McGinnity Sept. 23, 1902 1,069,083 Gibson July 29, 1913 1,345,865 Little July 6, 1920 1,381,864 Evans et al June 14, 1921 1,755,618 Watzl Apr. 22, 1930 1,925,650 Becker et al. Sept. 5, 1933 1,965,741 Jameson July 10, 1934 2,150,659 Santo Mar. 14, 1939 2,212,070 Luhrman Aug. 20, 1940 2,292,196 Brynoldt Aug. 4, 1942 2,302,651 Holly Nov. 17, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,797 Great Britain Apr. 6, 1886 5,487 Great Britain Apr. 12, 1915 

